


Walkernatural

by Descended_from_Hufflepuffs



Category: Supernatural, Walker (TV 2021)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Gen, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt Sam Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Micki and Cordell are partners, Suspicious Dean Winchester, Undercover Missions, Worried Sam Winchester, monster hunting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:56:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29667636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Descended_from_Hufflepuffs/pseuds/Descended_from_Hufflepuffs
Summary: Cordell Walker looked up from the files in front of him to see his partner had the same air of comprehension about her. Neither he nor Micki Ramirez were known for backing down from a challenge but this? This was…."With all due respect, Captain, this seems a little above our paygrade."
Relationships: Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Micki Ramirez & Cordell Walker
Comments: 46
Kudos: 31





	1. "Why us?"

_Name: Dean Winchester_

_Age: 42_

_Gender: Male_

_Ethnicity: White_

_Birthplace: Lawrence, Kansas_

_Family: Samuel Winchester (Brother, partner); John Winchester (Father, deceased); Mary Winchester (Mother, deceased)_

_Education: High School drop-out, GED_

_Criminal Record:_

  * _Attempted to assassinate the president_


  * _Over 100 suspected murders_


  * _98 confirmed first-degree murders_


  * _5 kidnappings_


  * _Over 100 counts of impersonating a federal agent_


  * _Over 100 counts of breaking and entering_


  * _Over 100 counts of grave desecration_


  * _76 credit card scams_


  * _46 suspected stalking cases_


  * _20 suspected arson cases_



_Known Accomplices:_

  * _Robert Singer (deceased)_


  * _Samuel Winchester_


  * _Charlie Bradbury (deceased)_


  * _Jimmy Novak (deceased)_


  * _Jack Kline (whereabouts unknown)_


  * _Arthur Ketch (deceased)_



  
  


_Name: Samuel Winchester_

_Age: 38_

_Gender: Male_

_Ethnicity: White_

_Birthplace: Lawrence, Kansas_

_Family: Dean Winchester (Brother, partner); John Winchester (Father, deceased); Mary Winchester (Mother, deceased)_

_Education: Stanford, Pre-law (2005)_

_Criminal Record:_

  * _Attempted to assassinate the president_


  * _Over 100 suspected murders_


  * _105 confirmed first-degree murders_


  * _Over 100 counts of impersonating a federal agent_


  * _Over 100 counts of breaking and entering_


  * _Over 100 counts of grave desecration_


  * _76 credit card scams_


  * _27 suspected stalking cases_


  * _30 suspected arson cases_


  * _15 confirmed counts of assaulting an officer_



_Known Accomplices:_

  * _Robert Singer (deceased)_


  * _Dean Winchester_


  * _Charlie Bradbury (deceased)_


  * _Jimmy Novak (deceased)_


  * _Jack Kline (whereabouts unknown)_



  
  


Cordell Walker looked up from the files in front of him to see his partner had the same air of comprehension about her. Neither he nor Micki Ramirez were known for backing down from a challenge but this? This was….

"With all due respect, Captain, this seems a little above our paygrade."

Walker nodded in agreement with his partner. "This seems more like work for the FBI than a couple of Texas Rangers. Why has this been handed to us?"

"The FBI came to us with this case. They've made multiple attempts to take these two down themselves, all of which have ended in failure. They're trying a different approach and you two are the best for the job."

“Multiple failed attempts? What happened?”

James shrugged. “According to their records, the first time an arrest was made, there was an altercation that lead to the explosion of the station where they were being held and their assumed death. Then three years later they turned up again and did a murder spree across the country. They were presumably killed after attempting to escape custody but then five years after that were caught attempting to kill the president. Then they were put in a very secure facility, seemingly died in their cells but then escaped half an hour later and later massacred the team of highly trained soldiers sent after them.”

Cordell swallowed hard. “So you’re telling me the FBI and some of the best-trained soldiers in the country were unable to stop these guys?”

“Yes.”

“And somehow we’re expected to?”  
  


“In a way. The FBI wants you two to go undercover. It seems our friends here are a part of a cult of sorts. They believe that supernatural creatures like ghosts and vampires and all that are real. They tried to kill the president because they believed he was being used as a vessel for Lucifer. The FBI wants intel on this group and a way to trap the Winchesters, hopefully for good. Seeing as manhunts have failed every time they tried it, they’re taking a different approach.”

Micki closed the file in her hands. “I’m still not sure why we’ve been called for this. Why can’t the bureau send their own people in?”

James handed them another, smaller file. “Two reasons. Reason one: they have reason to believe the Winchesters have access to FBI databases. Samuel is an expert at hacking and decryptions. There’s too big a risk of being exposed if their people go in. Reason two: they drove into Texas just yesterday.”

“That doesn’t answer why us specifically,” Walker cut in. “I know the FBI has their issues with me and Ramirez doesn’t have much experience with undercover work. Why would we be assigned this case?”

James shrugged. “They gave me their orders. If you want to call them and fight on it, you’re more than welcome to. But from my understanding, this case is going to require more moral ambiguity than your average undercover mission. That file I just handed you has a few locations they think the Winchesters are headed for and why. They want you to pose as members of this cult of theirs and approach them for help handling a ‘monster’ in one of these locations.”

The file had four cases of strange deaths. Dallas, where a family of four were killed by what appeared to be some kind of animal that ate their hearts. Arlington, where people were going missing and showing up a few days later, blood completely drained from their bodies. Smithville, where the occasional bar patron was found out back with their throat torn out. Jefferson, where men were disappearing on a certain stretch of road with increasing regularity. 

“So, what, these guys see weird deaths and...do what exactly?”

“From what we understand, they believe these deaths are caused by supernatural creatures. So they see odd deaths, go investigate, find whoever they think is responsible, and deliver ‘justice’.”

“Leaving more deaths in their wake,” Walker muttered, picking up the personal files again. “And we’re supposed to...help them?”

“Just enough to get intel,” James assured them. “Best case scenario, you’re arresting some more psychos. Some of the cases these guys are attracted to….” he trailed off with a shudder. “I wouldn’t want to go against sadistic characters like that without a few weapons either.”

Micki pursed her lips, going through the case files. “I’m gonna ask this one more time and I want a real answer: why us? Aren’t there people specialized in this kind of thing?”

James sat up in his chair. “I don’t think I need to tell you how special of a case this is. The FBI wouldn’t have come to us if they didn’t think we could handle it and I wouldn’t have recommended you two if I didn’t think you could do it. Your last undercover case together went very well; you work well as a team and you’re excellent investigators. Right now, you _are_ the best option.”

Micki and Walker shared one more look before simultaneously nodding. “We can do the case. When are we meeting with the FBI?”

“Tonight. Get your affairs in order and be ready to go low-contact for a while. Men like Sam and Dean Winchester are going to be paranoid. They’ll be watching you closely to see if you’re worth their time or trust. If you play your cards right, you might get rid of them for good.”

“Yes, sir.”

\-----------

Sam looked up from his book when Dean stopped at a gas station. “We need to fill up again?”

“No, but I do. They have pie here.”

Sam rolled his eyes but said nothing as Dean ran inside to get human-fuel for them. As annoying as his brother’s snacking habits could be, he was glad to be back on the road again. Sitting in the bunker for days on end never felt right, less so now that they were free of Chuck’s script. If it weren’t for the memory foam mattress, he might be tempted to completely return to the nomad lifestyle.

But that was a discussion for another day. Right now, they had a possible werewolf pack to take down in the great state of Texas.


	2. Here We Go....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walker and Ramirez start off on their mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know nothing about law enforcement so this is probably now how any of this works but honestly, I don't care and that's probably not what you came here for anyway. Probably the most realistic thing in this story is gonna be Texas geography.

Telling his family that he was going on a dangerous undercover mission and he had to leave now went about as well as Cordell expected.

Which was not well at all.

“You can’t be serious!” Stella crossed her arms. “What’s so important that you have to leave now? Can’t someone else do it?”

“You think I want to leave right now?” He tried not to let any frustration leak into his voice. “Believe me, I’d rather leave this to someone else. But this was given to me and I’d rather not fight with everyone on the ladder above me on it.”

“Why not?”

“Because this is my job, whether I like it or not. This is a really important mission and the fact that they assigned it to me is an honor, even if it is annoying. I can’t just tell them ‘no’ for something like this!”

“Do you know how long you’re gonna be gone?” August asked quietly.

Cordell sighed and rubbed his face. “No, not really. It shouldn’t be too long though. The targets we’re after move fast so we won’t have much time anyway and the brass wants it resolved quickly. If I had to ballpark it, I’d say two months tops.”

“Are you gonna keep in touch this time?” Stella bit out.

“...I’ll do my best.” That would depend on what extra information the FBI gave them. If Sam and Dean really were that dangerous, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to let on he had any weaknesses at home. Maybe he’d be able to get to a payphone every now and then though. 

"Look, I know this isn't going to be easy," he sighed. "But I don't have a lot of choice. What I do have, is a lot of faith in you. I know you'll be okay. You'll have Liam and your grandparents. And I promise I'll do my best to keep in touch and come back as soon as possible. I don't want to be on this mission any longer than I have to, believe me."

The kids seemed to accept that. Now it was everyone else he had to convince.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Momma asked. 

"Like I said, I don't have much choice. Apparently, I was hand-picked for this." 

"And you have to leave tonight?" Liam seemed skeptical. "Is the mission really that time-sensitive?"

"It seems to be. I can't say much but…" He sighed. "There really isn't time to waste. These targets have caused lots of problems in the past and they need to be taken down as soon as possible."

"And it has to be you? There's no way around that?"

"You think I didn't try?" he barked. "I don't get why they picked me but they did. I don't like the idea of going but I don't have room to argue. I don't know what else you want me to stay but I have to pack up and head for the briefing now. Okay?"

It wasn't okay, not really. But they could live with it for now. They were stronger than they were last time.  _ He _ was stronger than last time. Whether they were strong enough was yet to be seen.

But he could worry about that later. He had to go now.

\---------

Micki started talking as soon as she got in his truck. "So I did a little more digging on our guys."

"And?"

"They definitely aren't the only ones in this group. I think we're dealing with some kind of cult."

"How do you figure?"

She flipped through the file she had in her hands. "Well, their dad, John Winchester, had a record pretty similar to theirs, going back to when they were kids. From the looks of it, he took them all over the country, usually dropping them off in one city before heading somewhere else to do his work. I'm guessing he raised them in this lifestyle.”

Walker hummed softly. “His record only goes back to when they were kids?”

She nodded. “Yep. Before that, he was doing okay. He was a veteran, owned a mechanic shop, married, a nice house, all good things. Then one night there was a house fire that destroyed their home and killed his wife, Mary Winchester. Looks like he never recovered.”   
  


“Cults do prey on the vulnerable,” he murmured. “I guess he just found the wrong friends.”

“That’s one way of putting it.”

They drove in silence for a little longer before Micki spoke up again. “You know, I was a little distracted by everything else when we were at the station but now that I’m looking at it...you’re a dead ringer for this Sam guy.”

“What?” he scoffed. “No I’m not.”

“Yeah, you are.” She held up Sam Winchester’s picture. “If you grew your hair out some and learned how to use a razor, you could be twins. Or clones.”

He shook his head. “You’re crazy.”

“I’m telling you, Beau. It’s uncanny.”

“Whatever.”

\-------------

“Sam and Dean Winchester are not to be underestimated,” stated Special Agent Swanson. “They’ve escaped government clutches on multiple occasions through multiple methods, including faking their deaths, impersonating federal agents, and assaulting trained officers. Organizing a manhunt hasn’t worked in the past so we’ve decided to take a new approach, which is where you come in.”

Micki sat up in her chair. “Captain James mentioned that earlier. What exactly are we supposed to be doing?”

“Your main job is feeding us information on the Winchesters and anyone else you can get intel on until it’s time for arrest. You’ll be posing as members of this group they’re a part of, newbies that need their help. We’ll need locations, IDs, methods, and a time and place for the arrest.”

Walker nodded. “Okay. How do we get in contact with the Winchesters?”

Swanson slid a file across the desk. “This is a list of possible phone numbers and aliases you could find them with. They’re tricky bastards so we’re lucky we got this much on them. I recommend you get moving when we leave tonight; they work fast and once they’ve left an area it’s damn near impossible to find them again.”

Right. Simple. Just use the list of “maybe” numbers and names, find two extremely dangerous criminals, earn their trust, get a bunch of information, and have them ready for arrest and get it all done super quick please and thank you. That’s totally realistic.

“Do you have any more questions?”

Micki spoke up. “Are we going to be getting anything from you to help? Tools, information on the group, anything to help us blend in?”

Swanson nodded towards a set of duffle bags. “My team did a retroactive investigation on the Winchesters’ activities. We managed to put together an approximation of the weapons and tools they use on a regular basis. It’s probably not everything but it should be enough for you to pass yourself off as newbies. There are also a few sets of clothes in there as well as some cash and fake credit cards. We’ve also provided you with some fake IDs, including FBI, Texas Rangers, and a few other government organizations. Additionally, we’re giving you a few cell phones each that you can use to get in touch with us and the Winchesters if needed.”

Walker nodded, running the logistics through his head. That should give them what they need, at least in terms of materials. The only other thing to figure in would be a backstory, which should be easy enough. They’d need to figure them out and get them down pat before they made contact with the Winchesters though. If these guys were as dangerous and smart as they seemed, they’d have to be majorly paranoid. Breaking into that circle of trust won’t be easy, especially knowing as little as they do. But they had to try.

“Any questions, Walker?” The slight edge in her tone told him the FBI still didn’t hold him in high regard, not that that mattered now. If they really had a problem working with him, he wouldn’t be here.

“No ma’am. We’ll be on our way now.” He stood and shook her hand and walked over to grab the duffles while Micki finished with the pleasantries.

They had work to do.

\------------

Micki insisted on driving them out and Cordell wasn’t going to complain. There was a lot of driving to do and he needed time to think. 

“We need believable cover stories,” he said aloud. “Something close enough to home that we can keep up with it but still something in their realm. We need to convince them that we’re one of them, or at least close enough to them that they don’t freeze us out, and we need to do it quickly. We don’t have nearly enough time to gain their trust completely but we should be able to get some names out of them pretty easily with the newbie story. In theory, they’ll want to introduce us to more people like them, keep us in the cult. 

“The trouble is going to be getting them to come with us for an arrest situation. Getting them to trust us like that is not going to be easy, especially on a short time limit. We need to prove to them that we’re in this for the long haul and that they can work with us. That won’t necessarily require total trust but we don’t want them shooting us as soon as the feds show up either. There’s a grey area between those two options that’ll get us somewhere. But what is it….?”

Micki nodded. “Right. So cover stories. We need names, something not on our new fake IDs, nothing that can tie back to our real lives. We also need a traumatizing backstory about thinking a supernatural creature attacked us or a loved one. It can’t be something too obscure because we’re supposed to be new at this but we do need to know some things.”

“We also need a reason for knowing each other. Why are we working together?”

“Right. And whatever we pick we need to keep up with for as long as we’re around them, however long that is.”

“That is usually how undercover work goes, yes.” He smiled softly and chuckled when she smacked his arm. He was glad to be working with Micki at least; if there was anyone to work with on the most questionable case he’d ever seen, he’d pick her any day.

“Focus on the road, Floriana. We need to make it to these bastards in one piece….”

\-----------

Cordell- 

No.

Not Cordell.

Jared. Jared Padalecki.

Jared Padalecki and his wife, Lindsey. They were new monster hunters, spurred into the lifestyle by the loss of their children to a rogue vampire. They’d met another hunter, he didn’t say his name, who taught them how to kill vamps and helped them take out a nearby nest. He gave them Dean Winchester’s number, promising he and his brother would be more helpful than anyone else he knew.

They caught wind of mysterious disappearances in Jefferson, Texas. It could be nothing. It could be serious. They weren’t nearly experienced enough to tell. Surely the Winchesters could help though. 

It was time to make the call. They could only hope there would be an answer.

\----------

Sam was pulled out of his research by Dean’s main phone ringing on its charger. He’d left it there and took one of his backup lines to get them some food. Curiosity turned to concern when he saw an unknown number on the other end. Unknown callers were rarely a good sign.

Still. He couldn’t not answer. What if it was important?

“Who is this?”

“Umm…. Is this Dean Winchester?”

He didn’t recognize that voice. That wasn’t necessarily bad though; numbers circulated through hunter circles regularly. Maybe someone just needed their help. Too bad they were on their way to another hunt….

“This is Sam. Who are you and why are you calling?”

“Oh, um… My name is Jared. I, well… Me and my wife... we’re new to all this stuff and we heard you and your brother could teach us more than anyone else in the community. We caught wind of something in Jefferson, Texas but we don’t really know what we’re doing, to be honest. We could really use some help but even if you just gave us some advice….”

Sam nodded and reached for his laptop.  _ Jefferson…. Jefferson, Texas…. _ Missing person’s case. Same road, about once a month, no trace of the victims. Could be something. Could be nothing. This wasn’t something he could just give advice over the phone for. 

“Where are you right now?”

“We’re just outside of Austin, Motel 6 off I35.”

It wouldn’t be too far out of their way, they’d lose a day at most. Dean wouldn’t be happy about losing time on their current hunt but Sam would prefer that to losing hunters. Hunters either got smart or got dead and it sounded like Jared and his wife weren’t too experienced. It’d be better if they had someone they could talk to about this stuff instead of figuring it out on their own like John and Sam and Dean had had to. 

“We might be able to come but we’ve got our own case right now. I’ll have to think it over.”

“Well...maybe we could help you with whatever you’re doing to make up for it?”

It wasn’t the worst idea. The pack might be bigger than they thought and they didn’t have Chuck to plop them back into the script anymore. Plus depending on how new they were, it’d be a good educational experience. Still….

“I’ll need to talk to Dean but we’ll get back with you, okay? For now, I’d say look into the history of the area, especially that road. See if anyone died there and how and try to find a connection between the victims. You might not even need us at all.”

“Y-Yeah, of course. Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Sam disconnected the call and put the phone back on its charger. He’d already made up his mind but he needed to talk with Dean first. He always had a better sense for danger in these situations.

Maybe he’d look into the Jefferson case while he waited….


	3. I swear to Chuck....

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First contact is made and plans are set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little change in perspective this chapter. Hope you like it!

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Dean grumbled, eyes laser-focused on the road so he didn’t have to look at Sam. “We’re going a day out of our way and leaving the werewolves to kill for another night and for what? Because somebody needs us to hold his hand?”

Sam huffed in annoyance but didn’t look up from his papers on the incidents in Jefferson. “We’re going a few hours out of our way because some novice hunters need our guidance. Believe it or not, there are hunters out there that didn’t grow up in the life and who don’t have all the knowledge we do. I know we’re both looking to stop this one day and it’d be good to help out where we can.”

“Why can’t they just figure it out on their own?” he argued. “That’s how Dad did it, how  _ we _ did it. That’s how a lot of other hunters did it!”

“And how many times did we die that way, Dean?” Sam looked at him sharply. “How many of our friends died because they didn’t know better? Because we didn’t help them?”

He had a point. Whatever Dean’s suspicions were, it would make sense to help. It’s just…. “Something just seems off about this. Who are these guys? How did they get our number? How did they even know we’d be good to call?”

Sam shrugged. “They said the guy who helped them take down the vamp nest near their home gave them the number. It might be sketchy but what isn’t about our lives? I just think it’ll be better if we help them and teach them a thing or two instead of just letting them get themselves killed or caught.”

Dean still didn’t like it but there was no point in arguing now. Sam had already made up his mind and Dean would always back him, no matter what. “Where are we meeting them again?”

“A bar near their motel. Should be coming up on it soon….”

“Thank fuck. I need a drink.”

\-----------

Micki sipped her beer, trying not to cringe. She’d kill for a bourbon but Lindsey Morgan didn’t drink bourbon. She drank beer. Idiot. “When are they gonna be here again?” she asked, speaking up slightly to be heard over the din of the bar.

“Not sure, they didn’t give an exact time.” He shrugged. “He did say they’d show up tonight so we just have to be patient. First contact is the trickiest part of this job. We don’t have to win them over entirely, just enough to get in.”

“Yeah I know that but you haven’t been too forthcoming on  _ how _ we do that.”

“It’s different for every case. Best bet is to try to act like them. Fortunately, we don’t have to worry too much about blending perfectly because our covers are newbies. But it’s always better to be cautious; we still have to be competent.”

Micki nodded, nursing her beer. Since there was no point in agonizing over the mission until they actually met the targets, she decided to go over the information they’d gathered on the “case” they were supposed to work with the Winchesters. 

Jefferson, Texas. One of their backroads that was frequented by husbands coming home late from the bar and kids that didn’t want to get caught sneaking out was now the scene of several disappearances. The only apparent similarity between the victims was that they were all men. There were no deaths officially reported on the road but that didn’t mean something couldn’t have happened quietly. Small towns always have their secrets.

She startled when Cordell put his arm over the back of her chair. As much as Micki trusted him, she wondered if pretending to be a married couple was a good idea. Sure, they made great partners but would that be enough to sell it? She would’ve made a bigger deal out of it if marriage wasn’t the most logical explanation for why they were working together. It’s not like they could easily pass as siblings and best friends would probably be a harder sell than marriage. It was a tough spot to be in but she wasn’t a theater kid for nothing. She just needed to figure out Lindsey, loving wife and mother and badass. 

After another twenty minutes, two new patrons entered the bar. Tall, handsome, rugged, and currently the deadliest men in the state.

Showtime.

\---------------

Dean Winchester wanted nothing more than to head for the bar and have more than a few beers but, unfortunately, they had a job to do. A job that required him to be somewhat sober. Key word being somewhat. “I’m gonna get us a couple of drinks. You find your students and I’ll join you.”

Sam nodded and headed for the main seating area to find the couple they came here to meet. Dean was still on edge about the whole ordeal. He hadn’t even met these people and he already felt his instincts buzzing. And if it weren’t for Sam’s stupid puppy eyes, he could use all this nervous energy to take down a werewolf pack.

“Fucking puppy-eyes,” he muttered while he flagged down the bartender for drinks. At the last minute, he decided to get some for their new friends too. They probably needed a drink and if they already had one, it couldn’t hurt to have another. Or if they didn’t want them Dean could have them. 

He turned around to find Sam, pretty easy given how big he was. And then his eyes slid down to the new guys. Lindsey, the wife, looked lovely though a tad on edge. Reasonable given the cirsumtance. Her kids had been murdered by supernatural creatures and now she was meeting two strange men in a random bar to learn how to kill more of these things. He wondered if she really wanted to hunt or if she was just scared Jared would get himself killed if he went alone. Speaking of Jared-

No.

Nope.

Uh-uh

_ No fucking way. _

Jared, supposedly loving husband, was a damn perfect match for one Sam Winchester. Sure, his hair was a little shorter and he had the beginnings of a god awful beard but that was definitely Sam’s face.

Shapeshifter? Ghoul? A demon with a really old corpse? Or maybe a Sam from one of the other worlds Chuck destroyed? Whatever he was, he was bad news. 

_ This was definitely a bad idea. _

He sat down in the chair next to Sam and slid his bottle over. Based on the way his brother was sitting almost perfectly rigid in his seat, he’d noticed it too. But they couldn’t let on, not yet. They had to play it cool until they could take care of this guy in peace. 

Dean glared hard as he opened his own bottle. “It’s Jared, right?” He could feel the plastic in his smile. “Sorry, Sammy here probably didn’t tell me the whole story. Do you, uh, mind telling me how you got our number? I mean, I know we’re popular guys but it’s not like we advertise the Winchester hotline.”

“Of course.” Jared sat up a little straighter, letting his arm fall over Lindsey’s shoulder. “The man who helped us with our first case, I don’t remember his name, gave us your number when we said we wanted to hunt. He said you guys could teach us more than anyone else could and went on his way.”

“I’m not sure about the wisdom behind working with a guy whose name you don’t know,” Dean bit out.

“We didn’t have a lot of options,” Lindsey shot back, fire in her eyes. “Our children were dead and we were still processing the whole ‘monsters are real’ thing. He likely did tell us his name but we were otherwise occupied. Most of that hunt is a blur, honestly.” Her voice trailed off towards the end, like she was entering unwanted talking points.

“We understand.” Sam gave her his Reassuring Smile. “Everyone gets into this life somehow and none of the stories are fun. And, honestly, we’re just glad you reached out to us. We’re a community, after all. Hunters wouldn’t be hunters if we couldn’t help each other out every now and then.” 

Lindsey seemed to take that as an apology. “And we’re glad you were willing to meet with us. Like we said, we’re new to all this. We picked up the case on a hunch but I’m not even sure what we’re looking at.”

Jared nodded. “We did the research you suggested but nothing came up. Still, something about it all…. It feels wrong not to take a look.”

Dean knew that feeling all too well. “It wouldn’t hurt,” he murmured, taking another pull of his beer.

“And we’re happy to help,” Sam assured them. “I’m sure we’ll be able to figure out whatever’s going on.”

Well, that settled it then. Waste of time and possible monster in the party or not, they were going to Jefferson for a potential ghost hunt. Based on what Sam had been able to look up, it was a woman in white. But the question remained: what woman? 

But that was a search they’d have to do in Jefferson. “We’ll head to the motel and head out in the morning.”

“Sounds good to me.” Jared tried to smile at him but Dean wasn’t having it. He didn’t even care if Sam chewed him out for being rude later. There was something off about this guy and he was gonna figure out what.

\--------------

Back in the motel room, Micki couldn’t sleep. Part of it was because they had to share a queen mattress for appearances and Cordell was a dirty blanket hog. Part of it was because the damn air conditioning was rattling. But the biggest part was the Winchesters. 

Dean had been cold, almost aggressive upon first meeting them and she’d been prepared for that. It was to be expected given his record. But she felt blindsided by Sam. 

Sam Winchester had a body count in the triple digits but he had one of the most radiant smiles she’d ever seen. He apparently robbed graves as a hobby but he seemed genuine in his concern for both of them. He tried to kill the president but he had the most soulful eyes. He seemed so...normal.

_ So did Ted Bundy. _

Rolling her eyes, she flipped her pillow over and tried to get some rest. Tomorrow was gonna be a big day.


	4. Sounds Like a Bad YA Novel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordell and Micki get introduced to hunting procedure. Dean is paranoid and Sam just wants to solve this case.

Cordell winced and rubbed his back where he stood at the little kitchenette counter. Sleeping on a motel mattress was definitely not going to be good for him. Not that he would have much choice for the next...however long they were doing this. Hopefully not too long. “You almost done in the shower?” he called. “Sam and Dean wanted to leave early.”

“I know, I know. Some of us have more hair to dry!”

He rolled his eyes and finished his toast. He needed some coffee.  _ Strong _ coffee. He could handle being in a car with Micki all day but dealing with the Winchesters was going to be a whole different battle.

Dean he was prepared for. He was abrasive, borderline aggressive, and looked at him like he wanted to rip him apart and send his entrails back to his children as a warning. Textbook psycho serial killer, right? But then there was Sam. He laughed Micki off before but having Sam right in front of him was like looking in a god damn mirror and he did not like that. Not one bit. It was creepy and freaky and just another source of craziness that he could deal without. 

Micki came out of the bathroom, dressed and toweling off her hair.

“Hey. You want any toast before we hit the road?”

She shook her head. “I usually skip.”

“What? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!”

“That’s cereal propaganda and you know it.” She tied her hair back and grabbed her duffel. “Come on, the Winchesters are probably waiting for us.”

Walking out of the motel room, they saw Sam sitting on the hood of the 1967 Chevrolet Impala they apparently drove everywhere. How they could move silently from town to town in a car like that, Cordell would never understand. He knew the truck they’d been given for this wasn’t exactly stealthy either but at least it would blend in with other cars on the road. A classic car built for show-boating was hardly going to have the same advantage. 

Sam smiled at them and soon after they finished loading up, Dean joined them with coffee. “Here, drink up. We’ve got a lot of driving to do.” He handed Cordell his cup personally, but let Sam and Micki grab their own. 

Cordell nodded and took a sip of his coffee. It was bitter and a little watered down but it probably came from the motel lobby so what was he really expecting? He took a few big gulps when he noticed Dean staring at him. It was like he was waiting for something to happen. “What, did you spit in it?” he joked, trying to ease the mood.

“No, of course not. Why would I do that? That would be childish.” With that, Dean fished his keys out of his pocket and made to get into the car. “Follow us; we’ll talk strategy once we get into town and get a better look at the case.” Without waiting for a response, he got in and slammed the door.

Sam shrugged and smiled apologetically. “He’s not really a morning person.”

“Yeah, neither is this one,” Micki responded, smacking Cordell on the arm with a short laugh. “We’ll see you in Jefferson.”

Cordell down the rest of his coffee and reached for his own keys. “You want first shift?”

“No. You set the alarm clock radio to Asia, you get to drive.” She promptly hopped into the passenger seat. Cordell shook his head with a small smile before joining her. 

Next stop, Jefferson.

\---------------

“So, holy water didn’t do anything,” Dean commented as they pulled out onto the street. “Not looking at any kind of demon then.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “You could’ve been a little more subtle about it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean, if Jared  _ is _ a monster, it’s probably better that we act like we’re not onto him. Which means not giving him death glares over coffee. Or menacing staring in general.” He understood Dean’s concern; any hunter would. But coming out swinging like that would probably only cause more issues. “What if he’s a ghost? Now he’s gonna be super aware of iron or salt around you. Or if he is some kind of shifter, he knows to watch out for silver.” Sam sighed and kept an eye on the road signs. “Or, on the off chance that he’s human, you’re just gonna make him super uncomfortable which is probably the last thing he needs. Do you think he’s gonna be excited to tell stories to other hunters about the time Dean Winchester almost killed him?”

“Hey, some people would consider that a good story,” Dean chuckled. “And ordinarily I’d agree. But something about them seems off.”

“Both of them?”

“Yes, both of them!” Dean shook his head. “I can’t put my finger on it but I know they’re lying about something. I just…. I got a feeling, you know? Between him being your clone and her being her, I just got a feeling.”

Sam looked at him incredulously. “What do you mean, ‘her being her’? Lindsey seems fine. Grieving and traumatized and possibly regretting her decision to follow her husband into hunting, but fine.”

“I mean...the way she was looking at you last night,” Dean attempted to explain. “It’s like she couldn’t take her eyes off you. And, if I’m being honest, I’m not sensing much romance between those two.”

“Their kids were murdered, Dean. Their life has been completely turned upside down. It’s not like this is their honeymoon.”

Dean sighed. “I just…. I’m not sure Jared’s the only one we need to keep an eye on.”

“I didn’t notice Lindsey burning from holy water.”

“Doesn’t mean she isn’t a monster,” Dean countered. “Or what if she’s a witch and Jared’s her meat puppet that she styled to look like you?”

“Then why’d she call us?” Sam questioned. “She’d have to know what I look like and that having her puppet look like that would only raise suspicions.”

“I don’t know, dude. Maybe she wants you and just needs to make her little puppet perfect so she can switch you out when I’m not looking.”

Sam huffed out a chuckle. “Right, like you’d fall for that.” Anyone who knew about Sam and Dean had to know that wouldn’t go well for them.

“Aww, Sammy, you know I’d come save you from the Wicked Witch.” He smirked and sped up on the highway.

“I know you would, Dean. I know you would.”

\--------------

Micki looked over the missing person case files as they drove. “So, what are you thinking? About the Jefferson case, I mean?” Undercover or not, there was still a case. They could at least try to arrest people along the way.

Cordell shrugged. “It’s hard to say. Could be a serial killer, could be people just deciding to leave town. Do they have anything else in common besides being men? Age, ethnicity, occupation, anything?”

Micki shook her head. “A good chunk of them are married but not all of them. We’ll have to ask the victims’ families; whatever the connection is, it’s not in the file.”

“Great.” Cordell flexed his hands on the wheel. “Do you think we could just call headquarters now and tell them where we’re going? We could have them arrested as soon as we reach town.”

She shook her head. “As much as I’d love to, we can’t. We still need to get intel on them and their friends and their methods. Plus, they need to be arrested in the act of a crime. We need to wait until they’re actually gonna fuck up before we call anyone.”

He hummed in acknowledgment, clearly not happy with the arrangement but it’s not like they could do anything about it. 

“Hey,” She murmured, gently patting his arm. She could tell he was worried about getting back to his family. “It’s gonna be okay. We’ll get them. Sam said they were already working on another case, right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“So, we find out what it is and offer to help. Maybe it’ll be something big we can definitely get them on.” She smiled, trying to be encouraging. “Come on, we’re Team Sassyboots; we got this.”

The reminder of Hoyt’s nickname for them made Cordell crack a smile. “Yeah. We got this.”

\----------------

They pulled into town in the late afternoon. Dean figured they may as well take a look at the site now, see if they could find anything during the day and maybe check with some of the locals about urban legends or any details that wouldn’t end up in official records.

When they arrived at the scene, it was crawling with officers. Another disappearance, probably the night before. “Perfect timing,” he murmured, pulling off the road and getting out to convene with the rest of their group. Jared and LIndsey followed suit and the four of them met between Baby and the truck.

“We got lucky; someone else bit it,” he started. “We can see where local law enforcement’s at. A Town this size, I guarantee you one of the guys out there knows one of the victims and can tell us something.”

“It also gives us another family to talk to,” Sam chimed in. “The more people we can talk to, the better. The more information we can get, the quicker we can figure out exactly what this thing is and take it down.” It had to either be a Woman in White or some other vengeful spirit. The cure was the same either way but they’d still have to find the grave, which would be much easier if they had a name.

“So what’s the plan?” Lindsey asked.

“Either of you got fake IDs?” They both nodded. Dean let out a small huff of relief. “Good. Jared and I will go check out the scene and see what we can get off the police. You and Sam should head into town. Talk to some locals, go to the library, look in old newspapers, anything you can get.” 

Jared’s hand flexed a few times; apparently he didn’t like the idea of being separated from his partner. Lindsey covered his hand with hers (as much as she could cover that paw anyway) and grabbed the keys dangling from his belt. She muttered something before turning to Sam with a smile and heading back to the truck.

Yep. Did not trust them.

“Come on, Jared. I’m sure Sammy’s got an ID that’ll work for you,” Dean said as Lindsey and Sam drove off. “Neither of us is dressed for FBI but we could probably pull off Federal Marshall. Or Sheriff. Maybe Texas Ranger?”

Jared shook his head. “Not Ranger. That’s what I did before...this.” He gestured vaguely to the side. “I don’t need anyone reporting me.”

“Fair enough. Marshalls it is.” He tossed Jared the ID and made sure he had all his weapons before starting towards the scene.

“So, you were a Ranger? I Guess you’ve done this crime-scene thing before then.”

“A few times,” Jared drawled, one of his hands resting on his hip, right above where a holster would be.

“Good to know. But, do you mind letting me take the lead on this one? This probably isn’t the kind of investigation you’re used to doing and I’d rather not look too suspicious. Gotta keep a low profile in this line of work.”

“Yeah. That car of yours is  _ real _ inconspicuous,” Jared chuckled. “Go ahead and ask whatever monster questions you need to ask. I’ll see if I can get anything out of the techs.”

Dean glared at him but didn’t argue. “Just don’t mess it up.”

No one looked too closely at their IDs. Dean was a lot more practiced at looking like he should be at a crime scene than he was back in the day and Jared seemed like he knew what he was doing. Not that he wasn’t faking; anybody could pretend to be authoritative. BUt he stayed out of Dean’s way and that was the main thing. 

“You’ve been having these disappearances a lot lately, haven’t you?” he asked the lead officer on the scene. 

“Yes, sir, about once a month,” he confirmed. “We’re still not sure who’s behind it but they picked a good location.”

“That right?”

“Well, most people don’t use this road anymore. It’s mostly for people sneaking around or wanting to take the long way somewhere. This one happened last night and we didn’t even get the call about it until noon. It’s hard to find a kidnapper if you don’t even know when they’ve struck.”

_ If disappearances are reported so late, someone could get killed here and it’d be possible for no one to ever know about it…. _

“Are we sure it’s kidnapping?” Jared asked.

“No.” The officer inspecting the vehicle spoke this time. “All that blood on the windshield doesn’t spell good luck for the victim. Not to mention there’s hardly any DNA anywhere, not even fingerprints. Whoever’s behind this knows how to cover their tracks.”

“Speaking of the victim, do we have an ID?” Dean cut in.

“Yes, we do, actually. A young man by the name of Austin McGreggor. According to his folks, he was spending the night at a friend’s house. When he didn’t come by in the morning, they figured he just went to town to get something to eat before work.”

“Did Austin have any enemies?”

“No. Most everyone liked him. Of course, the rumor mill goes around. Some have been saying he was having a spat with his girlfriend but she’s about 100 pounds soaking wet so I doubt she’d be able to pull this off.”

Dean and Jared nodded to each other; that was probably all they were going to get for now. Hopefully Sam and Lindsey would have more.

“Thank you for your time, officers.” 


End file.
